NOE 360-172 SWC

[gman]

Just a photo of a couple of bullets cast today for testing. NOE Elmer Keith version.

 

[Brad]

Those will do just fine. Whatcha gonna load em on top of?

 

[fiver]

nice version of the mold for sure.
I like the square grease grooves.

 

[358156 hp]

Also consider trying this bullet in 38 Spl cases with 38-44 loads in a 357 mag (only) revolver. This bullet was originally designed for 38 Spl loads, and it really shines in that application. IIRC, Keiths 358429 predated the introduction of the 357 mag by several years. In an ironic twist of fate, this bullet in 357 mag cases was too long to chamber in the S&W "357 Magnum" revolvers when they were introduced in 1935, and is still too long for N frame Smiths, unless the powder charge is reduced, and the bullets seated deep enough to allow crimping over the top of the front driving band. An early Ideal 358439 (HP) shown in 38 & .357, with an Ideal 358156HP for scale.

 

[358156 hp]

I still use both, and many other designs, like most others here. I use my 358156HP for practice loads for 38 Spl. With a max load of 231 at +P pressures the point of impact is virtually indistinguishable from Winchesters 158 Gr +P LHP. I would have preferred this situation with a non-gaschecked bullet, but so be it. The 358439 was acquired because I had one long ago, and sold it too cheap in my "Cast Boolits" days. I lucked into this one, and it will be staying with me. A friend took a nice doe a few years back with one of my 358156HPs. I figured he wanted some to detonate water jugs with, but he surprised me a few months later by telling be about the doe. If I had known he wanted to hunt with them, I would have made them a bit harder (strengthened actually), they were my standard practice bullet, and were only around 8-10 bhn. That's one of the big advantages to casting, if you don't like what you already have, you can change the bullets performance in many different ways without having to buy a new mould, or "settle" for anything less than what you want.